Plant yourself, Superbly

For a sensational Super Bowl party, serve these fun and casual snacks with a twist. They bring all the kick and creamy comfort that a game-day spread calls for, relying solely on plant-based ingredients. Whether you’re wondering what to serve the vegans i

‘I FIND IT ALMOST COMFORTING TO COUNT CALORIES ... BUT ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY, I THOUGHT, SURRENDER TO IT. IT’S NACHO TIME.’ — KRISTEN BELL

BUFFALO CHICKPEA PITAS For the chickpeas

1 (425 g/15- oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1½ cups (375 mL) cooked chickpeas ¼ cup (50 mL) Buffalo-style hot sauce (e.g. Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce) 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegan mayo, purchased or homemade (recipe follows) 2 tbsp (30 mL) tahini or extra mayo Salt For the ranch dressing ¾ cup (175 mL) vegan mayo, purchased or homemade (recipe follows) 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh dill 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh chives 1½ tsp (7 mL) onion powder ½ tsp (2 mL) garlic powder ½ tsp (2 mL) lemon pepper For the assembly 16 mini pitas Buffalo-style hot sauce 1 celery rib, thinly sliced fresh chives 1. Make the chickpeas: In a mixing bowl, use an avocado masher or a strong fork to mash the chickpeas well. They should retain some of their texture and not appear pureed. A few whole ones left are okay.

2. Mix in the hot sauce, mayo and tahini and give it a few more mashes. Taste and add salt if needed, although it should be salty enough with the hot sauce and mayo.

3. Make the ranch dressing: Just mix all the ingredients together in a little bowl!

4. Assemble: Place a tablespoon or so of chickpea salad on each pita. Add a dash of hot sauce if desired. Top with a dollop of ranch. Garnish with a few slices of celery and a piece of chive. Serve! Makes 16

VEGAN MAYO

½ cup (125 mL) cold unsweetened almond milk or soy milk (see Tip) 1½ tbsp (25 mL) ground flaxseed 2 tsp (10 mL) sugar 1 tsp (5 mL) ground mustard 1 tsp (5 mL) onion powder ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt 1 tbsp (15 mL) white wine vinegar 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice 1 cup (250 mL) canola oil

1. Combine the milk and ground flaxseed in a blender. Blend on high speed until the flax is barely detectable and the mixture is frothy, about a minute.

2. Add the sugar, ground mustard, onion powder, salt, vinegar and lemon juice, blending for a few seconds to combine.

3. Now begin to add the oil. With the blender running, use the hole at the top to stream in a tablespoon or two at a time, blending for about 30 seconds after each addition ( if you’re using a high- speed blender like a Vitamix, 5 to 10 seconds should do it). Give your blender a break every now and again so that it doesn’t heat up the mayo. You should notice it thickening by the halfway point. By the time you’ve used three-quarters of the oil, it should be spreadable. And with the last addition, you should have a nice, thick mayo. If it seems watery, just keep blending.

4. The taste is very strong at first, but the vinegar and salt mellow out over time, so don’t adjust it straight f rom the blender. Transfer to a glass Tupperware, seal tightly and refrigerate for a few hours, and it will thicken even further as the flavour mellows and becomes perfect. Use within a week. Makes About 1½ cups (375 mL)

WARM ARTICHOKE DIP

¼ cup (50 mL) bread crumbs 2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 cup (250 mL) vegetable broth, purchased or homemade ½ cup (125 mL) raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours and drained 1 (425 g/15- oz) can navy beans, rinsed and drained, or 1½ cups (375 mL) cooked navy beans 3 tbsp (45 mL) nutritional yeast flakes 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice 1 (285 g/10- oz) jar artichokes, drained and roughly chopped ½ cup (125 mL) finely chopped fresh chives ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt Crusty bread, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 6- inch round casserole dish.

2. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and olive oil and set aside.

3. In a blender, pulse the garlic cloves to chop them up a bit. Add the vegetable broth and cashews. Puree until completely smooth; this can take up to 5 minutes depending on the strength of your machine. Periodically stop the machine to keep it from over- heating, and scrape down the sides of the blender jar with a rubber spatula to make sure you get everything. Add the navy beans, yeast and lemon juice and blend again until smooth.

3. Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl, stir in the artichokes and chives, and season with the salt. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.

4. Bake for 40 minutes. The dip should be browned and bubbly. If the bread crumbs have not browned sufficiently, you can broil it briefly, but be sure to keep a close eye on it and check every 30 seconds or so. Serve warm with crusty bread. Makes 4 cups (1 L)

SOUR CREAM & ONION POTATO SKINS

5 lb (2.25 kg) russet potatoes Olive oil salt Fresh ground black pepper 1 So Very Sour Cream (recipe follows), for serving ½ cup (125 mL) finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and wrap each in tinfoil. Place the potatoes directly on an oven rack and bake until easily pierced with a steak knife. Depending on the size of the potatoes, it could take from 45 minutes to an hour. Use tongs to transfer the potatoes to a cooling rack and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

3. Unwrap the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out most of the potato flesh, leaving about ¼ inch of the potato on the skin.

4. Set the oven to broil. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle the insides of each potato with a little olive oil and rub it around with your fingers. Sprinkle on a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Place the potatoes, cut- side up, on the baking sheet. Broil until the insides are brown and crisp, about 2 minutes.

6. Fill each potato with a dollop of cold sour cream and sprinkle with chives. Serve! Makes around 24 skins

SO VERY SOUR CREAM

Make Moskowitz’s So Very Sour Cream a day ahead as it needs several hours to set. 1 cup (250 mL) raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours and drained 1 (403 mL/14-oz) can coconut milk ½ cup (125 mL) fresh lemon juice ¼ cup (50 mL) refined coconut oil, melted ½ tsp (2 mL) onion powder Big pinch salt

1. In a blender, puree all the ingredients until completely smooth; this can take up to 5 minutes depending on the strength of your machine. Periodically stop the machine to keep it from overheating, and scrape down the sides of the blender jar with a rubber spatula to make sure you get everything.

2. Transfer the sour cream to a litre- ( quart-) size container, cover, and let set for at least a day. Dollop away! Makes about 4 cups (1 L)